Law Change Would Bring $45,000 A Month To Hauraki

“If the Government fixed the law to direct the
Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission to allocate over $15
million of Hauraki fishing assets that the commission holds
in trust, the local economy would be $45,000 a month better
off,” Harry Mikaere, Chairman of the Treaty Tribes
Coalition, said today.

“That money could be used to build
business confidence in Hauraki, develop the regional seafood
industry and close the gaps between Mäori and non- Mäori.
The money would come at no cost to taxpayers because the
assets are already owned by Hauraki Mäori.”

Mr Mikaere was
in Paeroa to put the Treaty Tribes Case for immediate
allocation of “pre-settlement” fisheries assets at the
Ngahutoitoi Marae and at a council reception, co-hosted by
Hauraki District Mayor Basil Morrison.

“The New Zealand
Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) calculated last month
that delaying allocation of the assets is destroying $1
million of wealth each and every month,” Mr Mikaere
said.

“With the Hauraki district entitled to 4 ½ percent
of the assets, delay is costing this region at least $45,000
a month.

“Everyone in the district has to get behind the
Treaty Tribes Coalition to demand that the Government acts
to stop the waste.”

Mr Mikaere said Hauraki desperately
needed the resources having been one of the worst affected
regions by the removal of tariffs in recent years.

“The
Government claims to be concerned about the impact of tariff
removal on the Hauraki region. Here’s a way it could
reverse those impacts and allow the Mäori seafood industry
to create new jobs.”

Mr Mikaere said there was no good
reason for the delays in allocation.

“Mäori agreed two
years ago on a method for allocation. That was the optimum
allocation model that, after five years of consultation, won
the support of 76 percent of iwi representing more than 63
percent of Mäori.

“Despite that mandate, a handful of
individuals are stopping allocation with technical legal
challenges.

“While their legal antics have never won
support from a New Zealand court, that isn’t stopping the
litigants wasting more time and money by going off to the
Privy Council in London next year.

“We’re confident their
case will be thrown out of the Privy Council, but meanwhile
the Hauraki region will continue to lose $45,000 every
month.

“Further legal challenges are always
possible.

“The Government must fix the law to stop the
constant litigation and allow the Hauraki economy to
grow.”

The Treaty Tribes Coalition was established in 1994
and has the support of more than 25 iwi.

The Coalition is
seeking the implementation of the “optimum allocation model”
that was developed by the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries
Commission through a five-year consultation process. At the
conclusion of that consultation process two years ago, the
model achieved the support of 76 percent of iwi representing
63 percent of Mäori.

The model deals with $350 million of
“pre-settlement” fisheries assets, which have been held in
trust by the commission since 1989. The commission has also
held a further $350 million of “post-settlement” assets
since 1992.

The model was a compromise between those iwi
that believed assets should be allocated on the basis of
coastline and those that believed they should be allocated
on the basis of population. Deepsea quota would be
allocated on a 50 percent population, 50 percent coastline
basis. Inshore quota would be allocated on a coastline
basis. Shares in Moana Pacific Fisheries would be allocated
in proportion to the entire quota volume allocated to each
iwi. A further $40 million cash would be allocated on the
basis of population only, with another $10 million cash kept
in trust for those Mäori who are not active members of their
iwi organisations. The model also requires that iwi have
mandate and accountability mechanisms to deliver to their
members, the vast majority of whom are urban
residents.

Despite the majority support for the compromise
model, allocation is being held up by technical legal
challenges by a few individuals. None of these challenges
have been found to have merit by the courts, but appeals
continue.

Earlier this year, the New Zealand Institute of
Economic Research (NZIER) undertook an independent and
conservative study into the costs of delaying allocation of
the “pre-settlement” assets. Looking at just three costs of
delay, including the inability of iwi to form multi-iwi
partnerships, it concluded the costs were up to $14 million
a year. This would compound to $84 million by 2006 if
allocation did not occur immediately.

Following the
release of the report, the Treaty Tribes Coalition renewed
its call for the Government to fix the law to end the
technical legal wrangling. The call was supported
unanimously by the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council
(SeaFIC) at its annual conference and by New Zealand’s
biggest fisheries company, Sanford
Ltd.

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